So, I was originally just going with Mint 22.1, but I’m getting a 9070xt and see mint is only on kernel 6.8 which doesn’t particularly support it?
Is using it still okay? Should I go with Bazzite instead? Or something else. I’m fine with a little amount of work to get shit working nice and all, I am fine with figuring out how to use the terminal if needed and all, just want something stable to play games and other shit on. Mint sounded good, but not if it won’t support my GPU.
While (I think) you can install HWE (hardware enablement) kernels on Mint, you would also have to upgrade Mesa, which is not as easy on Mint.
Personally in this case, for a truly stable distro, I’d install Debian Stable and install a backports kernel and backports Mesa, which are both currently versions that should support RDNA4 GPUs like OPs just fine. This involves two simple steps after installing:
- Enable the Debian Backports Repo (see https://backports.debian.org/Instructions/). It’s like, one file.
- Install the packages with something like
sudo apt install -t bookworm-backports linux-image-amd64 mesa-va-driversand reboot.
Before you take these steps, you probably won’t have hardware acceleration, but will still get video output so you can perform the steps and reboot.
This is definitely a weird suggestion, and other people’s suggestions might be less work out of the box. I just like Debian, and stability+backports+testing is part of what makes it possible for it to be my everything distro.
I run mint 22.1 and have a 9070xt.
I used mainline to install kernel 6.14, works flawlessly.
Is there a particular reason you need an nvidia gpu? Like plans to do local LLMs or other projects that really require a nvidia gpu?
Because I am just so pleased with AMD for gpus in Linux. So simple.
Not knocking your choice, just trying to understand it. Everyone has valid reasons for why they choose their setups.
Edit: nevermind I am so confused by the new naming schemes I thought this was an nvidia, others have informed me its an AMD. Nevermind me I am a dingus.
9070xt is an AMD… it’s just new… and I’ve seen a lot of posts saying you want kernel 6.13 or higher for it, and mint 22 is using 6.8. (And that you want mesa 25 but I don’t think getting that’s an issue?)
(I realize AMD changing their naming yet again makes that confusing.)
if you go with the Arch, you can keep your Mint Cinnanon without troubles. wink wink
Arch or EndeavourOS (Arch for babies) should give you the best support for any new hardware.
Doesn’t Mint have newer kernel as well?
You want a semi or rolling release distro. Fedora is semi-rolling, would be the most user-friendly I think. Anything Arch-based but more user-friendly, like CachyOS, would be good as well. Tim leweed is rarely recommended unless you need like bleeding edge, which it doesn’t sound like you really want.
I always go arch for stuff that needs the new shit, and debian for stuff that should run stable. Those nix bazzite tubleweed thingies are nice, but too niche, if you have a problem the small communities are less probable to have it as well and good luck finding solutions
Arch may be a little more than I would prefer because… just going to look at the site would take learning just what the fuck is going on. I don’t need constant crazy new stuff, I just want the GPU to work.
